Her hair was neatly tied back, and her expression was serious.
Commander Tessa Vance had arrived.
She stepped out before the driver could open the door and walked toward the entrance with a leather document case in one hand.
The security employee at the gate recognized her immediately.
SECURITY OFFICER: "Good morning, Commander."
TESSA VANCE: "Good morning. I'm here to see Commander Hale and Walter Hayes."
SECURITY OFFICER: "Yes, ma'am. We've been informed of your arrival."
Tessa presented her credentials.
The officer checked them, then opened the security gate.
As she entered, her eyes moved across the reception area.
She noticed the staff members speaking quietly, the unusual number of security personnel near the corridor, and the medical employee waiting beside the elevator.
She understood immediately that the situation had become more complicated than Walter had described over the phone.
A young lieutenant approached her.
LIEUTENANT PARKER: "Commander Vance?"
TESSA VANCE: "Yes."
LIEUTENANT PARKER: "I'm Lieutenant Parker. I escorted your father to the eastern corridor earlier."
Tessa stopped.
TESSA VANCE: "You escorted him?"
LIEUTENANT PARKER: "Yes, ma'am. I confirmed his arrival and directed him to the designated waiting area."
TESSA VANCE: "And then what happened?"
Parker looked uncomfortable.
LIEUTENANT PARKER: "I left to retrieve a document. When I returned, the corridor had already been secured."
Tessa studied his expression.
TESSA VANCE: "Did you see Officer Mercer approach him?"
PARKER: "I saw him speaking with your father."
TESSA VANCE: "Did you hear the conversation?"
PARKER: "Only part of it."
Tessa waited.
Parker looked down briefly.
PARKER: "The officer seemed upset that your father was waiting there. I thought it was a routine misunderstanding."
TESSA VANCE: "And when did you realize it wasn't?"
PARKER: "When Commander Hale intervened."
Tessa nodded once.
TESSA VANCE: "I want you to provide a complete statement. Include everything you remember, even if it seems insignificant."
PARKER: "Yes, Commander."
She continued toward the elevator.
The medical unit was on the second floor.
As the doors opened, Tessa stepped out and walked quickly down the corridor. She passed two nurses before reaching the examination room.
Walter was sitting on the bed when she entered.
For a moment, she stopped in the doorway.
She saw the dressing above his eyebrow, the bruising around his cheek, and the way he was holding his shoulder.
Her expression changed.
TESSA VANCE: "Dad."
Walter looked up.
WALTER HAYES: "You came quickly."
She crossed the room and gently placed a hand against his shoulder.
TESSA VANCE: "What happened to your face?"
WALTER HAYES: "A disagreement with security."
TESSA VANCE: "That's not a disagreement."
WALTER HAYES: "I'm fine."
Tessa looked at the dressing again.
TESSA VANCE: "You always say that."
Walter gave a faint smile.
WALTER HAYES: "Because most of the time I am."
She pulled a chair closer and sat beside him.
For a few moments, neither spoke.
Tessa had spent years learning to remain composed under pressure. She had stood in rooms where decisions affected entire units, listened to reports about operations that had gone wrong, and carried responsibilities that most people would never understand.
But seeing her father injured was different.
It made the uniform feel heavier.
TESSA VANCE: "Did they take the envelope?"
WALTER HAYES: "Commander Hale secured it."
TESSA VANCE: "Did anyone open it?"
WALTER HAYES: "Not that I know of."
Tessa nodded.
TESSA VANCE: "Good."
Walter looked at her.
WALTER HAYES: "You came all this way for the envelope?"
TESSA VANCE: "I came because you were hurt."
WALTER HAYES: "You have work to do."
TESSA VANCE: "And I can do that after making sure you're safe."
Walter looked down at his hands.
WALTER HAYES: "I didn't want this to become a problem for you."
Tessa leaned forward.
TESSA VANCE: "You didn't create this problem, Dad."
WALTER HAYES: "I could have handled it differently."
TESSA VANCE: "How? By letting him treat you that way without saying anything?"
Walter did not answer.
TESSA VANCE: "You were following the instructions you were given. You had authorization to be there. You did nothing wrong."
Walter looked at her.
WALTER HAYES: "I know."
TESSA VANCE: "Then stop carrying the responsibility for what someone else chose to do."
For a moment, Walter's eyes softened.
He reached over and touched her hand.
WALTER HAYES: "You sound more like your mother every year."
Tessa smiled slightly.
TESSA VANCE: "She would have said much worse."
WALTER HAYES: "She would have."
The two shared a quiet laugh.
Then Tessa noticed the leather folder beside him.
TESSA VANCE: "Is that the photograph?"
Walter nodded.
WALTER HAYES: "I brought it in case someone needed to verify the original crew."
Tessa opened the folder carefully.
She removed the photograph and studied it.
The image showed a group of sailors aboard a naval vessel, their faces arranged in two rows. Some were young, others older. A few had names written in faded ink along the back.
Tessa turned it over.
Her eyes stopped at one particular name.
She read it again.
Then she looked at her father.
TESSA VANCE: "You kept this all these years?"
WALTER HAYES: "I told you I would."
TESSA VANCE: "I know. I just didn't expect you to bring it here."